The implementation emergency calling is antiquated, with many jurisdictions being limited to telephone calls to an emergency number (such as 911) and sometimes limited Short Message Service (SMS) text messages. Furthermore, the location-finding of existing technologies is limited, providing highly inaccurate location information in many cases. Citizens are increasingly interested in connecting to emergency services over a variety of media, including voice communications, text messages, internet messages (e.g., email), and video communications.
Transitioning to newer technologies for emergency services is challenging, however. Traditional telecommunication providers have been unable to ensure reliable delivery of citizens' requests for emergency services over a variety of telecommunications services. There are many telecommunication providers providing a variety of services through diverse partners, each with its own unique set of capabilities, implementations, and contractual obligations. This diversity makes an ad hoc system difficult to implement. Furthermore, even if one telecommunication provider were to implement such a system, it would not necessarily be available through other providers.